Tool head

Abstract

A tool head for use in a 3D printer includes at least two drivable tools, at least one of which is an extruder tool for melting a modeling material suitable for building an object in layers. A shared or common drive system for the at least two drivable tools serves, in the context of the at least one extruder tool, to feed the modeling material into an extrusion unit. A selection device can establish an operative connection between at least one tool selected from the number of drivable tools and the drive system.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A tool head for use in an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by melt layering, the tool head comprising:
 at least two drivable tools, at least one of said at least two drivable tools being an extruder tool for melting a modeling material suitable for building the object in layers; 
 an extrusion unit for extruding the modeling material; 
 a drive system shared by said at least two drivable tools, said drive system causing said at least one extruder tool to feed the modeling material into said extrusion unit and said drive system including a drive shaft; 
 said at least one drivable tool being movable relative to said drive shaft and being brought into said operative connection with said drive system by being transferred from an idle position in which said at least one drivable tool is not operatively connected to said drive system into a working position in which said at least one drivable tool is operatively connected to said drive system; and 
 a selection device for establishing an operative connection between said drive system and at least one drivable tool selected from said at least two drivable tools, said selection device being configured to move said at least one drivable tool relative to said drive shaft to establish said operative connection between said at least one drivable tool and said drive system, and said selection device including a rotatable camshaft having a plurality of control cams, each of said control cams serving, upon a rotation of said camshaft through a defined rotation angle, to transfer said at least one drivable tool from said idle position into said working position or from said working position into said idle position. 
 
     
     
       2. The tool head according to  claim 1 , wherein said selection device is configured to establish said operative connection individually for each of said at least two drivable tools. 
     
     
       3. The tool head according to  claim 1 , wherein said selection device is configured to establish said operative connection simultaneously for a plurality of said drivable tools. 
     
     
       4. The tool head according to  claim 1 , which further comprises a motor for driving said drive shaft. 
     
     
       5. The tool head according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one drivable tool is at least one of pivotable around a pivot shaft or deflectable by elastic flexural deformation, for transferring said least one drivable tool from said idle position into said working position or from said working position into said idle position. 
     
     
       6. The tool head according to  claim 1 , which further comprises:
 a selector wheel connected to said camshaft and having indentations; and 
 an actuation element for actuating said selector wheel with a defined engaging motion of said actuation element to cause a rotation of said camshaft through a defined rotation angle in order to perform a selection of one or more of said at least one drivable tool. 
 
     
     
       7. The tool head according to  claim 1 , wherein said selection device is configured to transfer a tool not drivable by said drive system or a sensor from an idle position into a working position or from a working position into an idle position, simultaneously with or independently of said operative connection to be established between said at least one drivable tool and said drive system. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by melt layering, the apparatus comprising:
 a tool head including at least two drivable tools, at least one of said at least two drivable tools being an extruder tool for melting a modeling material suitable for building the object in layers, an extrusion unit for extruding the modeling material, a drive system shared by said at least two drivable tools, said drive system causing said at least one extruder tool to feed the modeling material into said extrusion unit, and a selection device for establishing an operative connection between said drive system and at least one drivable tool selected from said at least two drivable tools; 
 a rotatable camshaft having a plurality of control cams, each of said control cams serving, upon a rotation of said camshaft through a defined rotation angle, to transfer said at least one drivable tool from an idle position into a working position or from said working position into said idle position; 
 a selector wheel connected to said camshaft and having indentations; 
 an actuation element for actuating said selector wheel; and 
 a tool head drive system for moving said tool head against said actuation element or for moving said actuation element against said tool head, to cause said actuation element to engage into one of said indentations of said selector wheel and to rotate said camshaft through a defined rotation angle by a defined engagement motion.